City Announces Spring TreePhilly Yard Tree Giveaways

One lucky winner will be chosen to have Philadelphia Eagle Connor Barwin help plant their tree.

Philadelphia, PA, March 11, 2016 – Today, Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) announced open registration for the Spring 2016 TreePhilly Yard Tree Giveaways. The giveaways, hosted in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and TD Bank, are open to property owners to obtain and plant up to two free trees in a yard or lawn on private property. Registration is open through April 10, and a variety of species are available, including large shade trees, small flowering trees, and fruit trees.

“I encourage all residents to register for a free tree,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Trees provide essential services to city residents; cleaning our air and water, cutting down on our heating and cooling bills, and adding to our sense of community. Every Philadelphian deserves to have a healthy tree canopy in their neighborhood.”

TreePhilly connects Philadelphia property owners, businesses, and neighbors with the resources they need to plant and care for trees. TreePhilly’s efforts are in direct response to the City of Philadelphia’s sustainability goal to increase tree canopy coverage to 30% in all neighborhoods, so everyone can benefit from the increase shade, cleaner air and water, and beauty that trees provide. TD Bank has signed on as a three-year sponsor of the TreePhilly program.

“Thanks to TreePhilly, residents have become passionate about planting and caring for trees. We look forward to working over the next three years with TD Bank as a corporate partner,” said PPR Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “I also want to thank all the community organizations that have been working with us for the past four years to help promote the TreePhilly Yard Tree Giveaway program; their grassroots support has helped TreePhilly reach many more people than we could have on our own.”

Residents can register to pick up their free yard tree at one of four (4) special giveaway events across the City in April (sites and dates below). Detailed information on all available species can be found at www.treephilly.org, and participants can choose their species when they register online or over the phone. Registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-ins will be welcomed at the end of each event while supplies last. Participants will also receive a planting and care demonstration provided by tree experts, free mulch, and educational materials.

“We’re excited to have TD Bank as our new partner for 2016. Their enthusiasm and support of TreePhilly will continue to help the program thrive, improving the quality of life for current and future generations of Philadelphians,” said John Gattuso, President of the Fairmount Park Conservancy.

“The environment is a part of everything we do at TD Bank,” said Joe Doolan, Head of Environmental Affairs, TD Bank. “Sponsoring TreePhilly and partnering with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy to increase the tree canopy contributes to a better environment in this community where our employees and customers live, play and work.”

New this year, TreePhilly is announcing a Philly “Tree Trek,” a social media contest in which one lucky winner will be chosen to have Philadelphia Eagle Connor Barwin help plant their tree. Participants can follow Philly’s Celebri-Tree, “Bud”, on social media as he explores Philadelphia landmarks before he finds his forever home. Residents can enter the #PhillyTreeTrek social media contest on Twitter, Instagram and Vine (@TreePhilly).

PPR also announced the winners of the Spring 2016 Community Yard Tree Giveaway Grants. In addition to the four citywide giveaway events listed above, these community groups will host yard tree events in their neighborhoods this spring. Grantees will receive either 50 or 100 trees from TreePhilly, as well as a $500 grant. Dates, times, and registration information for these community events will be announced soon and posted on www.treephilly.org.

Residents with limited mobility can apply for free tree delivery and planting. Space for this service is limited and residents are encouraged to apply early by contacting Erica Smith Fichman at 215-683-0217 or by visiting www.treephilly.org.

There are several ways citizens can get involved with TreePhilly, including planting and caring for trees on their property, volunteering for a tree planting event in their local park, or sponsoring community service days to plant and maintain trees. For more information, visit www.treephilly.org or call 215-683-0217.

About Philadelphia Parks & RecreationPhiladelphia Parks & Recreation advances the prosperity of the city and the progress of her people through intentional and sustained stewardship of public land and waterways as well as through safe, stimulating recreation, environmental and cultural centers. PPR helps Philadelphia’s children and other residents grow by connecting them to the natural world, to each other, and to fun, physical and social opportunities. For more information, find Philadelphia Parks & Recreation online at www.phila.gov/parksandrecreation and follow @philaparkandrec on social media.

About the Fairmount Park ConservancyFairmount Park Conservancy exists to champion Philadelphia’s parks. Our mission is to work as a collaborative partner to lead and support efforts that preserve and improve the parks and recreation system in order to enhance the quality of life and stimulate economic development of the Greater Philadelphia Region. We fulfill our mission by leading capital projects and historic preservation efforts, fostering neighborhood park stewardship, attracting and leveraging resources for the parks, and developing innovative programs throughout the 10,200 acres that include Fairmount Park and more than 100 neighborhood parks around the city. The Fairmount Park system is one of the largest urban park systems in the world and includes some of the region’s most famous attractions. For more information, please visit myphillypark.org, join us at facebook.com/fairmountparkconservancy, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @myphillypark.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more, visit www.td.com.